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Opinion Contributor

Jon Huntsman's missed chance in S.C.

Huntsman could have gotten undivided attention in South Carolina, the author writes. | AP Photo

Huntsman, in the same debate, expressed reservations about Yucca Mountain, but noted that South Carolina “has been taking in nuclear waste for the past 35 years, believes that promises the federal government made with regard to it being housed in South Carolina temporarily would be kept.”

Instead of seeking to increase his New Hampshire support by a point or two, Huntsman could have gotten undivided attention in South Carolina, called for opening Yucca Mountain and made nuclear waste disposal a major issue.

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The state’s voters are already concerned about it. Haley, talking about the $1.3 paid by South Carolina rate-payers, said, “We want our money back” if “the feds want to renege on the promise” to open Yucca.

The chief beneficiary for all this may well be Rick Perry, who skipped New Hampshire and headed straight to South Carolina. (Or possibly Newt Gingrich, who said in Nevada, “We have to find a safe method of taking care of nuclear waste.”)

Perry’s campaign manager is Katon Dawson, who served as South Carolina’s GOP chairman in 2004-2007 and was runner-up to Michael Steele for Republican national chairman in 2008. Dawson, who started this presidential cycle as an adviser to Gingrich, cut his political teeth working for Lee Atwater in the 1970s.

Perry is sure to be competitive among evangelicals. His military record is also likely to have strong appeal for South Carolina’s many military retirees and active duty personnel. The national Veterans for Perry campaign chairman is retired Marine Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston of Charleston.

For Huntsman, it looks like a missed opportunity. He could have demonstrated his knowledge of the nuclear waste issue and declared he would begin the process to open Yucca Mountain if he wins office.

In just three or four days, he could have hit most of the state’s 46 counties, held press conferences or speeches at every city with a TV station, and met with newspaper editorial boards.

Now Perry has that opportunity. Whether or not he grabs it remains to be seen.

Jack Bass is co-author of “The Transformation of South Politics, The Palmetto State—The Making of Modern South Carolina,” and author of two biographies of Strom Thurmond.

Readers' Comments (11)

Seriously. This has to be the dumbest article ever. Huntsman stands about as much chance of being in the top four in SC as Alvin Greene did in 2010. You remember that guy right? Why waste such energy writing such nonsense? When you see something so stupid, you have to question why. Saving face??? Not quite sure who wrote this since the author's name is not clear to anyone reading it.

I'm no expert but I would think South Carolina would be Perry country, not Huntsman territory. Unless things have changed, Huntsman would be way too moderate for the Right-Wingers in that state. I also seem to recall that politics get pretty nasty in South Carolina.

I'm no expert but I would think South Carolina would be Perry country, not Huntsman territory. Unless things have changed, Huntsman would be way too moderate for the Right-Wingers in that state. I also seem to recall that politics get pretty nasty in South Carolina.

Huntsman would sell us out to Red China. He is too cozy with them. He loves to do his Mandarin trick at the debates. Not impressed.

While working for Obama and collecting a paycheck, Huntsman plots to run against him. He also went along and signed some lousy agreements with China. He can blame Mitt all he wants for this country's problems but he's the one who is the turncoat and a back stabber and I am not an Obama fan.

Yup, this is dumb. Huntsman is a MORMON and he worked for OBAMA. A Mormon who doesn't live his religion the way Romney does. Religious people prefer to vote for people who live their religions whatever that religion happens to be. People can read that Huntsman is egotistical, vague, and pandering for all his anti-pandering proclamations.

That said, I would happily vote for him over Obama if by some freakish turn of events he took the nomination -LOL! We literally can't afford more of Obama. Whoever the GOP nominee is gets my vote. The leftist media doesn't admit this, but the national debt has accelerated at an unprecendented rate under Obama, and it wasn't pretty to start with. This doesn't even count the fact that things like Obamacare won't add into the total debt until all parts of the law go into effect, and you can count on the fact that it will be much more expensive than projected, just like any other government program. To top off the horrible debt, all branches of the federal government get an automatic 10% increase in budget each year, based upon spending of the previous year. This is since the 70's. It doesn't take a mathematician to realize this is unsustainable growth and will quickly turn us into the EU. And don't count on Congress ever balancing the budget with so many politicians - on both sides- guilty of crony-capitalism with large campaign contributions from tax-exempt corporations.

Contrary to the understanding of those 'standing with the 99%,' Washington has no intention of fixing any problems within Wall Street - they've been in bed with them (on both sides) for generations, and have rigged things in the personal favor of their insider trading and political donors in the forms of tax exemption and government money. According to the recent book, "Throw them all out," a strong majority of the corruption is on the Democrat side. Obama himself has more campaign cash from Wall Street than all the GOP contenders combined. We absolutely need to look for politicians - on both sides- who recognize the culture of corruption in Washington bringing us headlong into financial crisis, and who have the character to withstand Washington's corruption and change things for the citizens of the country. We shouldn't be distracted by the partisan bickering in Washington and be partisan ourselves, that will hardly help the problem.

It never ceases to amaze me how some Democrats will just shout the same talking points over and over without looking at facts, and especially without looking at both sides of an argument. There is plenty of flip-flopping and corruption with Democrats too. Partisanship causes blindness on both sides. You've got to read both sides anymore to get a good idea of what's really going on, because both sides leave stuff out. The liberal media does count on its followers being mind-numbed enough to not think for themselves, however.... It is your duty to be a well-informed voter, not a brainwashed and partisan voter. I'll go even further: to really understand the conservative movement, you've got to listen to (or read) Rush Limbaugh for at least a couple weeks. The 'conservative' media isn't always.

I think this country is truly sad. When Reagan was President going around the world borrowing money. The Japenese Prime Minister stated to Reagan. " If the corporate Managers would stop giving themselves high bonuses and salaries. No country in america would be broke." Not one Republican that ever ran or became President understood that terminology. So many people down Pres Obama. What other President has told the american people the truth? Corruption on Wall street, the corruption of bankers, corporate greed. Every one who got laid off during the Bush era are stupid if they vote Republican again. Within 6 months of Bush's Presidency, Corporations in the US laid off over 800 thousand workers. Moved their work overseas, and each of those same corporations gave themselves over 20 million dollar bonuses for their executives. Within 6 months of Bush's Presidency. Two families own the world. Rothschilds and Rockerfellars. This world became a monopoly game. All we can do is pray hard, fear God and believe that the world is a game but Heaven cannot be bought. Be true to your neighbors. Be kind to your fellow workers. Help the ufortunate. If you was born with two legs, two arms, a complete mind and brain, than you are more blessed than a person born with none. These are the people who are being hurt the most in this game. But we as human beings do not have to become like our keepers. We are still Human Beings. Lets treat our fellow human beings as equal. Or we become like our keepers.

The question remains why hasn’t the media pushed Huntsman out yet? He spent all of his time in NH and still didn’t make much of a difference. While I think he will be a good president, he’s not political enough to win especially in the GOP field.